Bald eagle – The National Wildlife Federation Bloghttp://blog.nwf.org
The National Wildlife Federation's blogThu, 24 May 2018 16:06:07 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.9.5139259312Sportsmen Discuss Wildlife Recovery with Congresswoman Dingellhttp://blog.nwf.org/2018/03/sportsmen-discuss-wildlife-recovery-with-congresswoman-dingell/
Mon, 12 Mar 2018 19:00:28 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=133488On a rainy Friday in February, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) met with leaders of conservation and hunting organizations and key staff with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources at the Detroit Zoo, joined by members of the zoo’s conservation staff, to discuss the bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, which Dingell co-sponsored with Republican Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (NE-01) in December.

Bison cow and calf. Photo by Mike Borgreen/USFWS.

The group toured the rehabilitated bald eagle exhibit, directly across from the bison exhibit – perhaps America’s most iconic wildlife species, and two of its greatest successes in saving species from extinction. After the short tour, the participants sat down for a round table discussion about the legislation.

“More than a third of species are at risk of extinction right now, so we have a crisis,” said Mike Shriberg, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation Great Lakes Regional Office. “This bill is the bold action we need to begin to reverse this decline.”

“The legislation takes $1.3 billion, annually, of existing revenue in oil and gas royalties,” said Dingell, “and it gives it to the states so that they can implement their state Wildlife Action Plans.”

Photo by David Spier.

Each state has an existing Wildlife Action Plan which lists its species of greatest conservation need, and specific steps it plans to take to conserve and recover those species. In Michigan, this includes animals like bald eagles, common loons, moose, sturgeon, and monarch butterflies which, Dingell noted, have declined by 90% in the past 20 years.

“Michigan’s Wildlife Action Plan is really about proactive conservation to keep species off the (endangered) list, but it also allows for some reactive conservation,” said Amy DeRosier, Wildlife Action Plan Coordinator for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “These plans are really developed and ready to hit the road running.”

After a round of introductions from each participant, much of the discussion turned to how the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act can leverage sportsmen’s dollars to improve both game and nongame habitat.

“The sporting community – at least so far as I can speak for them – is really enthusiastic about the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. When we look at all the different interrelationships between game and sportfish species and nongame wildlife, you know we don’t manage habitats in silos and they aren’t compartmentalized spaces. These are places that are being used and utilized by both game and nongame species,” said Dan Eichinger, executive director of Michigan United Conservation Clubs.

“Historically, conservation funding – at least in the state of Michigan and this is generally true across the country – has been born primarily by the hunting and fishing community through the excise taxes on our sporting arms and equipment through (the Pittman-Robertson Act) and (the Dingell-Johnson Act), but also through our hunting and fishing licenses,” Eichinger continued.

“More hunters are aware, but sometimes they’re not, about how much conservation is driven by the investments they make,” said Brent Rudolph, conservation policy director for the Ruffed Grouse Society. “But there’s still far more work that needs to be done, which is testified by the fact that we have these Wildlife Action Plans.”

Michigan has used the limited funding it’s had for its Wildlife Action Plan to work with partner agencies and organizations to recover species including ospreys and the Kirtland’s warbler.

The Detroit Zoo, for example, worked with the DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on numerous bird projects through the years, according to Dr. Paul Buzzard, field conservation officer for the Detroit Zoo. “We were involved with the reintroduction of osprey to southern Michigan and we still work with that species on some monitoring and banding efforts. We also work on the piping plover recovery, which is a federally endangered species.”

“We have a demonstrated success of working with rare species, and I’ll use the Kirtland’s warbler as an example,” said Dan Kennedy, the DNR’s endangered species coordinator. “We’ve been able to take that species from the brink of extinction, to now they’re considering de-listing that species.”

The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act received an introductory hearing in the House Committee on Natural Resources – Public Lands Subcommittee on February 15. While no vote was held on the bill that day, the roundtable participants were optimistic about the opportunity provided by the legislation.

“This is a really nice way to extend the purchasing power of our sporting license dollars and be able to bring in a new funding source to deal with what we all acknowledge is a huge backlog of need,” said Eichinger.

“The state Wildlife Action Plans are exciting; they’re there, they’re ready to go, and with the configuration of resources this way, it’s going to have major impacts on species across the board,” said Shriberg.

Take Action Now
]]>133488Join us on our road to the Final Fur!http://blog.nwf.org/2018/03/join-us-on-our-road-to-the-final-fur/
Wed, 07 Mar 2018 23:17:02 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=133561Help us celebrate National Wildlife Week as we kick off our Final Fur tournament! Cheer on your favorite native North American species as they compete for honor, glory, and the chance to be crowned champion! Starting Monday, March 12th, you can submit a bracket online to vote for your favorite of 32 species.

Completing your bracket is easy, but make sure you get it in before submissions close on March 15th! We’ll be announcing the winner on March 16 to close out our celebration!

]]>133561Road to the Final Fur: Round Fourhttp://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-four/
http://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-four/#respondMon, 13 Mar 2017 06:19:10 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=126475Whether you are a parent, an educator, a college student or lifelong lover of wildlife, you can always learn more through our vast education programs. Consider starting a campus project, building a new lesson plan for your classroom or pledging to create a habitat garden in your backyard. The remaining four species are counting on your support and your vote!
Vote Now

ARCTIC FOX

Help the arctic fox by confronting climate change head-on. EcoLeaders, you can help people unplug by launching campus energy campaigns dedicated to minimizing your school’s carbon footprint.

Younger students, you can get involved, too! Make an impact by choosing the climate change pathway when you register your school to be an Eco-School. And these lesson plans can teach K-8 students about life in the cold (and many other places).

And don’t forget to take the Cool School Challenge, which engages students and teachers with practical strategies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions!

But don’t forget to vote before rolling up your sleeves and getting to work!

Vote Now
]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-four/feed/0126475Road to the Final Fur: Round Threehttp://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-three/
http://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-three/#respondSat, 11 Mar 2017 09:12:57 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=126423There are only eight teams left on the road to the Final Fur! Read on to learn a little more about how the National Wildlife Federation helps keep each of these species in fighting shape.Vote Now

RIVER OTTER

Some may dream of life by the sea, but for river otters it’s freshwater or bust. These charismatic mammals depend on clean, freshwater ecosystems for their homes and for their food, which is why the National Wildlife Federation fights to protect water resources across the country. In addition to our work protecting watersheds and wetlands, both of which serve as river otter habitat, NWF has also built coalitions around the country dedicated to clean water. These programs stretch from the Mississippi River delta to the Great Lakes, with plenty of stops in between.

ATLANTIC PUFFIN

Atlantic puffins spend most of their year alone on the open ocean, but come breeding season they return en masse to their favorite rocky sea cliffs on the northeastern coast of Canada and the United States. In addition to being a home for their plentiful permanent residents, these cliffs, and other coastal habitats like them, play host to migrating and seasonal populations every year, which is why it’s so important to keep them healthy. NWF has been working tirelessly with communities in the northeast to rebuild and restore the coastal dunes on which so many species depend.

FLORIDA PANTHER

The Florida panther is a force to be reckoned with. Though they once roamed through all of the Gulf states, today the only wild, breeding populations of Florida panthers live in the Everglades. The National Wildlife Federation works with lawmakers, on the ground partners, and our affiliate, the Florida Wildlife Federation, to ensure that the Everglades remain protected. The survival of the Florida panther, and many other unique species, depends on it.

GREEN SEA TURTLE

A common site along the Gulf of Mexico coast during breeding season, the green sea turtle is among the species directly impacted by the Deepwater Horizon spill in 2010. Since that time the National Wildlife Federation has made Gulf restoration a priority. The Federation is dedicated to the responsible restoration of this critical ecosystem. Nearly seven years has passed since the oil spill, but the Gulf still needs help, so the Federation remains involved on the ground and on the Hill, working to restore the ecosystem, help wildlife recover, and reform drilling policy.

BALD EAGLE

The bald eagle’s strong showing in this tournament is no surprise – these majestic birds are known for putting up one heck of a fight. When Europeans arrived in what is now the United States, there was an estimated population of about 100,000 bald eagles south of present-day Canada. By 1963 there were only 417 nesting pairs left in the 48 contiguous states. In 1973 the bald eagle was offered new protections under the Endangered Species Act, which eventually lead to one of the most successful recoveries in the Act’s history. This landmark piece of legislation has been a cornerstone of conservation in this country, and has aided the recovery of several of our nation’s most iconic species. Learn more about how the National Wildlife Federation works to ensure strengthened protections for all endangered or threatened native wildlife.

PRAIRIE DOG

Home on the range, indeed. Black-tailed prairie dogs share their habitat with the farms in America’s heartland. Unfortunately, it seems farms and prairie dog colonies (or “towns”) don’t mix well, a reality that has pushed the prairie dog’s range to 5% of what it once was. The National Wildlife Federation’s Agriculture team is working to change how grassland farmers and wildlife interact. The team works with lawmakers to ensure that the Farm Bill benefits wildlife and farmers. They also hold the biennial America’s Grasslands Conference, where farmers, researchers, and policy experts meet to discuss new solutions and techniques for wildlife-friendly farming.

CANADA LYNX

Barely larger than a house cat, these distinctive felines are perfectly adapted for life in the cold, right down to their large snowshoe-like paws. And though they tend to shy away from human contact, the Canada lynx will follow their favorite food (the snow hare) anywhere. Over the past few years there has been an exciting increase in lynx sightings in the lower 48, including a few in Vermont. Vermont is one of several states that has invested, or begun to invest, in wildlife corridors. NWF is helping to build these pathways, constructed specifically for animals, help reduce the road mortality rate of North American wildlife (and maybe a few insurance rates, as well). This increased mobility, in turn, can lead to greater range and a deeper gene pool for the species who no longer have to risk life and limb just to get to the other side.

ARCTIC FOX

These foxes may be small, but they’re among the very toughest of our competitors. Their coats can keep them warm even when temperatures drop to -40*F! However, there is concern about the potentially outsize impact climate change will have on species like the arctic fox. The National Wildlife Federation is dedicated to confronting climate change. The Federation has identified several key fronts in the fight to stop climate change in its tracks. Learn more about them, and how you can contribute, by exploring our site.

But before you go – don’t forget to vote! Only four species can move on to the next round, so every click counts.

Vote Now
]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-three/feed/0126423Road to the Final Fur: Round Twohttp://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-two/
http://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-two/#respondTue, 07 Mar 2017 21:51:10 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=126314The Road to the Final Fur kicked off in a furrenzy of competition! But only sixteen fierce species were able to advance to Round 2. Hailing from habitats that run the gamut from extreme cold to desert heat, these species are born to weather even the toughest conditions. Luckily, they have the backing of our regional centers and affiliate partners, whose on-the-ground work directly impacts the habitat of each and every one of them. Learn more about the homes of the remaining sixteen and get connected to the regional center in your area.
Vote Now

Beasts of the Northeast

GREAT HORNED OWL
A solitary bird that lives in forests, canyons, and clearings, the great horned owl is found throughout the continental US and up into Alaska. Their geographic range extends southward into Mexico and Central and South America.

RIVER OTTER
River otters can thrive in any fresh water habitat, from ponds and marshes to lakes and rivers, as long as the habitat provides adequate food. Their dens are abandoned burrows or empty hollows and have entrances underwater.

MALLARD
Mallards are among the most recognizable birds in the world. They can be found throughout the world, including all of the continental United States and Hawaii. Look for them near ponds and freshwater wetlands.

ATLANTIC PUFFIN
The Atlantic puffin is a sea bird through and through. Though they nest on the same on rocky sea cliffs each year to breed, puffins spend the rest of their time on the open ocean, far from land.

It’s a Southern Thing

MONARCH
Monarch butterflies are migratory animals. In the spring, summer, and early fall they can be found wherever there are milkweeds for them to lay their eggs. Monarchs cannot survive freezing temperatures, so they winter in the cool, high mountains of central Mexico and woodlands in central and southern California.

FLORIDA PANTHER
Florida panthers live in wetlands, swamps, upland forests, and stands of saw palmetto. The historic range of the Florida panther extended throughout the Gulf Coast states, from Florida to Louisiana and up to Arkansas. Today, there are less than 100 Florida panthers left in the wild. They are found in southern Florida swamplands, like the Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. The species is so critically endangered that it is vulnerable to just about every major threat – from habitat loss to cars and feline diseases.

BLACK BEAR
The American black bear’s range covers most of the North American continent. They are found in Alaska, much of Canada and the United States, and extend as far south as northern Mexico. They inhabit both coniferous and deciduous forests, as well as open alpine habitats. They can live just about anywhere they can find food, but most frequently where there are trees.

GREEN SEA TURTLE
Green sea turtles have ocean water habitats and separate nesting habitats. Once a green sea turtle hatches and heads into ocean waters they rarely return to land. Instead, they feed on off-shore plant blooms around islands and beaches in warm tropical and subtropical ocean waters.

Green sea turtles will travel long distances, even across oceans, to return to their preferred breeding site. In the nesting season, females emerge onto the warm beaches to lay their eggs before returning to the sea until the next breeding season.

Home on the Range

MOUNTAIN LION
Mountain lions inhabit a wide range of ecosystems, making their home anywhere there is shelter and prey, including mountains, forests, deserts, and wetlands. They are territorial and have naturally low population densities, which means the species requires large swaths of wilderness habitat to thrive. The mountain lion’s range spreads all across the Americas, from the Canadian Yukon to The Strait of Magellan, the greatest of range any extant mammal in the Americas.

BALD EAGLE
Bald eagles really like lakes. During the summer, they can be seen soaring above lakes and in the nearby trees. They prefer bodies of water with lots of fish and surrounding forests. In the winter, bald eagles can be found near hunting along coastlines, reservoirs, and rivers. Most Americans will only see bald eagle during their winter migration, when they can be found near a variety of water habitats.

PRAIRIE DOG
Black-tailed prairie dogs are highly social animals native to the Great Plains. These small rodents live in massive underground colonies called towns. Though they were once extremely populous, their numbers have decreased significantly because of habitat destruction and human intervention.

Learn more about the work our regional office does to support wildlife in the prairies >>

BIGHORN SHEEP
Bighorn sheep live in the western mountainous regions of North America, ranging all the way from southern Canada to Mexico. Their steep mountainous habitat, with ledges sometimes only 2” wide, provide cover from predators such as bears, golden eagles, mountain lions, and Canada lynx. Most populations move seasonally – they prefer larger upland areas in the summer and concentrate in sheltered valleys during the winter.

You CAN Handle the Chill

ORCA
Found in every ocean on the planet, orcas are likely the most widely distributed mammal in the world, after humans. There are three distinct types of orca: transient, resident, and offshore. Though they are not officially considered different subspecies, all three types of orca are genetically distinct and do not interbreed or mingle. Residents live close to shore in large pods of about 10-20 and feed primarily on fish. Offshore orcas are similar to residents, but are distinguished by their smaller overall size and rounded, nicked fins. Transient orcas live in smaller groups of about 3-7 and spend their lives out at sea where they prey on seals, sea lions and other dolphins (which, strangely, are the same animals that resident orcas like to swim and play with).

CANADA LYNX
The great grey ghost of the north, these elusive cats used to be (slightly) more common in the United States than they are today. Although they were never abundant, their historical range did include most northern states from the Rockies to New England. Today, while tens of thousands of lynx remain in Canada and Alaska, loss of habitat and human activity limit their presence in the continental US. However, in the past few years there have been some signs of population recovery in northeastern states.

POLAR BEAR
Though they will spend time on land, polar bears depend on sea ice, where they can hunt for their food. Polar bears are excellent swimmers and they will travel long distances between shore and the sea ice, if necessary. However, these long swims can be perilous for both cubs and adult bears. The permanent, multi-year ice that doesn’t melt seasonally is critically important to their survival, though it is increasingly rare because of climate change.

ARCTIC FOX
These small omnivores have quite a large range. They call the entire arctic tundra home, which means the arctic fox is quite literally sitting on top of the world. Their small, compact bodies are uniquely adapted to live in a frigid climate. They can even use their large tails as cover to keep them warm when things get especially chilly.

Vote Now
]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2017/03/road-to-the-final-fur-round-two/feed/0126314Road to the Final Fur Beginshttp://blog.nwf.org/2017/02/road-to-the-final-fur-begins/
http://blog.nwf.org/2017/02/road-to-the-final-fur-begins/#respondFri, 24 Feb 2017 20:29:51 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=126017This year, to celebrate National Wildlife Week, NWF will be traveling the road to the Final Fur. We’ve got 32 native North American species facing off for glory in the wildest bracket you’ve ever seen. So get your voting fingers ready and mark down the following dates in your calendar:

It’s time to get going on Round 1! These 32 North American native species aren’t just fierce competitors, they’re also available for adoption! Symbolic adoption, that is. Symbolic adoptions support the National Wildlife Federation’s work conserving and protecting North American wildlife, while helping you learn more about your favorite animal (and as you’ll see below, some of them come with very cute stuffed animal replicas). Read on for the Round 1 match-ups and click through the photos to symbolically adopt one of our Final Fur competitors!

Beasts of the Northeast

The humpback whale packs a mighty punch, but don’t count the great horned owl out just yet. The soft feathers on these birds give them the ability to sneak up silently on their prey, giving the owl a much-needed advantage against his massive opponent.

Reptiles or mammals? Baseball or hockey? Desert or swampland? These two southerners don’t agree on much, which makes for an excellent match up. When the dust from Round 1 settles, will we be hearing a victory rattle? Or a purr of contentment?

With a series of bony plates guarding his back, the nine-banded armadillo is ready to put on a solid defense against his formidable, fuzzy opponent: the black bear. But will a strong defense be enough to keep the bear at bay? Or will larger paws prevail?

From the depths of the sea to the tops of the trees, this match up has a little bit of something for everyone. Only you can decide if the barking tree frog will be able to hop over the competition or if the green sea turtle will swim on to victory.

It’s the battle of American icons! In May 2016, the bison was named national mammal of the United States, and the bald eagle has been the national symbol since 1782. Expect this patriotic match up to be one for the ages.

The pika may be small, but that doesn’t give her much of an advantage against her opponent on the rocky, narrow ledges both of these animals favor. The bighorn sheep is able to balance on shelves as small as 2″ across! This high-altitude battle is sure to be anything but boring.

You CAN Handle the Chill

The hyper-intelligent orca faces off against the nimble mountain goat. Will echolocation be able to help the “sea wolf” locate his opponent? Or will the mountain goat’s camouflage and climbing abilities lift him to Round 2?

The elusive Canada lynx will need to use all her wiles when going up against the walrus and his powerful tusks. Don’t count this small cat out yet, though. The Canada lynx has been expanding her range lately, recently spotted as far south as Vermont, so it’s not much of a stretch to think she might just stake her claim to victory, as well.

A true battle of the titans. Here the largest land carnivore on earth is facing off against the largest member of the deer family (and at over 1000 lbs, that’s a lot of deer). These massive northern mainstays virtually guarantee an earth-shaking competition.

Arguably our cutest match up, the harp seal has size on his side (a full grown seal can weigh 600 lbs!) but the arctic fox is quick and cunning. Expect these winter warriors to be well matched in their battle.

Now that you’ve got the lay of the land, it’s time to get this party started! The road to the Final Fur opens on Monday, February 27th, don’t forget to vote for your favorites!

Vote Now
]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2017/02/road-to-the-final-fur-begins/feed/0126017Remembering Exxon Valdezhttp://blog.nwf.org/2014/03/remembering-exxon-valdez/
http://blog.nwf.org/2014/03/remembering-exxon-valdez/#respondThu, 27 Mar 2014 15:27:22 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=93399Twenty-five years ago, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez crashed into a reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Eleven million gallons of oil contaminated over 11,000 square miles of ocean and shoreline. In just the first few days, the death toll was enormous. Around 250 bald eagles, 22 orcas, 300 seals, 3,500 sea otters, countless fish and marine species, and as many as 250,000 seabirds all succumbed to the oil’s effects.

The spill seeped into every facet of the ecosystem, attacking animals from both the inside and out. Though it was initially thought that the oil spill would only have a short term impact on the ecosystem, its effects continue to be felt to this day.

As Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation puts it, “The impacts of oil spills continue long after the TV cameras have gone home. It is still possible to find oil on the shores of Prince William Sound that is nearly as toxic as it was a quarter-century ago.”

All of this raises the question of just how far the oily tide has receded. The recovery effort has produced some decidedly mixed results among some of North America’s most iconic creatures:

1. Pacific Herring

Hallmark of the fishing industry, the herring of Prince William Sound remain badly damaged by the spill. In 1993 the population collapsed, and it has not recovered since. Even the reason for their low numbers remains badly understood, and it’s not certain whether the herring will ever rebound.

2. Killer Whales

Two pods of killer whale call Prince William Sound home. Both were hit hard by Exxon Valdez, and many mature orcas died in the following years. Slow to reproduce under normal circumstances, these losses have been hard to replace. One population that dwells in the Sound through the year has been slowly growing in number. Sadly the other more mobile pod still shows no signs of recovering.

4. Harbor Seals

The harbor seals of Prince William Sound had been struggling with declining prey before Exxon Valdez, but the resident population has since recovered. By 2005 the seal’s numbers were growing again, and the species is considered on the mend.

5. Sea Otters

The most recently recovered species, the numbers and quality of life for sea otters in the Sound finally returned to normal within the past year. In addition to the dangers of swimming through the oil, the sea otters suffered internal damage when they consumed oil tainted clams and other prey. Fortunately oil levels in these species dropped to a “safer” level for the otters.

As for the human race, 25 years on we do not seem to have learned our lessons well. In Galveston Bay, a ship carrying thick, sticky oil collided with another boat and spilled may have spilled as much as 168,000 gallons into the Bay. At the height of the season for migratory birds, the timing could not be worse.

Four years after Deepwater Horizon and 25 years after Exxon Valdez, it is time we commemorate these disasters by taking a step away from oil and other fossil fuels. We need to invest in a cleaner, greener future for energy if we want to ever break this cycle of ecological destruction and cleanup.

Barges sit along the Mississippi River near the confluence of the Missouri River.

America’s mightiest river, the Mississippi River, cuts through the middle of this country for more than 2,350 miles, providing habitat for hundreds of fish and wildlife species, but humans have attempted to control this scenic river for their own gain—often harming critical habitat. Right now, we have the opportunity to speak up for fish and wildlife, like the bald eagle, impacted by river projects in the upper portion of the Mississippi River.

Known by many nicknames, the muddy Mississippi River is a part of our history just as much as the American Revolution. It served as the pathway for early explorers and continues to serve as a highway for shipments to and from the American interior. As we have settled along its banks and utilized its waters, we have also modified the river for navigation with disastrous consequences to the river’s ecosystem.

For example, in just the middle Mississippi River—the reach from the entrance of the Missouri River to the confluence of the Ohio River—the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has built more than 1,375 river structures under its Regulating Works Project. While many hundreds of these structures have been constructed in just the past 30 years, the Corps has not examined the environmental impacts of those projects in an environmental impact statement (EIS) since 1976. This means both that the Corps has not comprehensively evaluated the adverse impacts of these activities in more than 35 years and has not identified less damaging alternatives to maintaining navigation in this reach of the river. During the same period, the Corps also has not updated its environmental reviews on the rest of its navigation maintenance activities.

Multiple science and government reports have shown that these activities have caused major problems for the river’s ecosystem. A key government study from 1999 concludes that the Corps’ activities were destroying critical habitats including the rivers’ backwaters, side channels and wetlands; altering water depth; causing nonnative species to flourish; and severely impacting native species. A 2008 study confirmed that this harm was still happening, with major problems for the fish and wildlife that rely on the Mississippi River and the Mississippi River Flyway.

[photo by Howard Sheridan]

The Mississippi River serves as the migratory flyway for sixty percent of North American birds. Birdwatchers flock to the banks of the Mississippi River every year to watch the iconic American symbol, the bald eagle, soar above the river bluffs and then dip into the river to catch fish. Unfortunately, the Corps’ navigation work has led to a significant decline in the fisheries and habitat along the upper Mississippi River.

But now there is a speck of light at the end of this dark tunnel; light that could become a beacon if we take advantage of it. The Corps is currently seeking public input on a new study to review the environmental and human impacts of its Regulating Works Program, and to determine alternative actions to minimize or mitigate those impacts. We need to tell the Corps to look at the full impacts of ALL their navigation efforts on the river and to develop alternative approaches that will help protect and restore the ecosystem of the Mighty Mississippi.

Take Action

Contact the Army Corps today and add your voice to calls for a thorough and comprehensive analysis of new, less damaging, methods for managing navigation on the Mississippi River that work for both people and wildlife. We only have until this Saturday, February 15th to influence the direction of the upcoming study.

Thousands of North Carolina residents living around the Dan River woke up last week to a disaster in their backyard. Millions of gallons of sludge from a retired Duke Energy coal-fired power plant spilled into a river that supplies drinking water for North Carolinians and Virginians. It took almost a full week to get the leak under control as an estimated 82,000 tons of ash and 27 million gallons of basin water polluted the river: enough to fill 73 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The Dan River coal ash spill is the third largest in U.S. history. Coal ash is particularly pollutant and a byproduct of coal power generation. Tests of the water in the Dan River revealed levels of copper, aluminum, iron and arsenic (a carcinogen), which were all above safe levels. With such a huge influx of highly toxic chemicals, it will take a very long time for the ecology and wildlife of the Dan River to return to a healthy and safe level. This beautiful river, once enjoyed by wildlife and humans alike, will need a long recovery before it is safe to swim, fish, or drink the water.

The threat to wildlife

One of the more important species affected by this spill is probably not an animal you think about every day: bugs. Insects and microorganisms are the backbone of any ecosystem and their health can affect species all the way up the food chain. Jenny Edwards, program manager for the Dan River Basin Association, explains why these little critters are so important:

River otters are found in many North Carolina rivers and are threatened by spills like the one in the Dan River. Photo via USFWS

We are really concerned about the impact it’s going to have on wildlife starting toward the bottom of the food chain, which is the macroinvertebrates, or the bugs. Without those bugs in the river, no other life on the river is possible because those bugs feed the fish and the fish is, of course, what the heron and the bald eagle are hunting

As metals and toxins accumulate in the bugs and fish tissues, they are passed up the food chain, infecting species that rely on the river for food such as catfish, herons, deer, raccoons and bald eagles. People often fish in the Dan River for catfish and species like the bald eagle are an iconic part of American culture. They are all directly put at risk by this coal ash spill.

Speak out to hold Duke Energy accountable

Tell North Carolina Governor McCrory to take action to protect wildlife and communities from coal ash and to hold Duke Energy accountable for this devastating spill. Here are suggested tweets:

]]>http://blog.nwf.org/2014/02/coal-ash-spill-in-north-carolina-endangers-wildlife/feed/091841Wildlife Friendly Solutions to Flooding and Other Water Challengeshttp://blog.nwf.org/2013/06/wildlife-friendly-solutions-to-flooding-and-other-water-challenges/
http://blog.nwf.org/2013/06/wildlife-friendly-solutions-to-flooding-and-other-water-challenges/#commentsFri, 21 Jun 2013 19:55:17 +0000http://blog.nwf.org/?p=81468Imagine your house regularly floods when the local river leaves its banks after a heavy rain. Now imagine that your Congressman announces a plan to build a levee along the river to protect you and your neighbors, and even better, the federal government is picking up more than half of the tab for this multi-million dollar levee. The decision is made and the levee is built.

Fast forward 10 years. Your house has not flooded since the levee went up, but neighborhoods upstream and downstream that never flooded before are now beginning to flood because your new levee is pushing the water you used to get in your basement, into their basements. You also notice that the fishing is not nearly as good in the river. This is because the new levee cut off the fish from their favorite rearing and spawning pools that would form in the river’s floodplain after a heavy rain. With the levee in place, the river is cut off from its floodplain and those fish nurseries have dried up. Even the bald eagles that you used to love watching fish in the river have moved on. You figure they don’t come around anymore, having just as much luck fishing as you do since the levee went up.

This hypothetical is real – but we can fix it

Unfortunately this story is not just in our imaginations. Time and time again the federal government sponsors levees and other large structural projects like sea walls and dams that solve a water challenge, but create a whole host of other public safety and wildlife impacts.

Fortunately America can do better. We have the ingenuity and knowhow to create a different future for our rivers and communities vulnerable to flooding. Instead of the federal government sponsoring a levee, strong new federal water planning guidelines could require the government to utilize nonstructural and restoration approaches to address river flooding. So instead of a levee, the federal government could restore wetlands along the river, which naturally store flood waters, and have the added benefits of cleaning water, and providing wildlife habitat.

Let’s go back in time again to when your Congressman is working with the federal government on solving your flooding problem. This time, instead of the levee, the federal government, guided by stronger federal water guidelines, chose to convert an abandoned industrial park along the river into wetlands.

Now fast forward 10 years. The wetlands are in place and you notice that the fishing is better! You also have a boardwalk through the new wetlands, which is your favorite place to see a nesting pair of bald eagles that just moved in, because the fishing is so good. And your neighboring towns have less flooding and cleaner water with more fish.

These better restoration solutions can become a reality in communities all over the country, but we need stronger federal water planning guidelines to get us there. National Wildlife Federation has been working for more than a decade on new federal water planning guidelines that require low impact, restoration and non-structural approaches to addressing flooding and other water challenges when those measures could provide an appropriate level of protection or benefits. But the White House’s latest “draft Interagency Guidelines” do not include this requirement.

Take Action for Clean Water and Wildlife!

Fortunately it is not too late to make a difference! The White House is taking comments until Thursday June 27th on new “draft Interagency Guidelines” where they can, if they choose to, include this requirement.

Tell the White House that we don’t need to choose between a healthy environment and solving water challenges – that we need strong federal water guidelines that only allow levees and other structural projects to be built when nonstructural and restoration solution are not available.